From the moment Bad Bunny stepped onto the Super Bowl LX stage at Levi’s Stadium, he began a history lesson, told through a love story, about Puerto Rico, its importance to the Americas, and the island’s cultural contributions to the lives of all Americans. Sugar-cane fields, jíbaro imagery, and nods to everyday island life grounded the beautiful spectacle in lived experience.
In doing so, Bad Bunny’s production team zeroed in on a foundation of successful storytelling: the most compelling stories begin with truth. When a story or messaging is anchored in mission, history, and community voice, audiences feel the difference. Authentic identity builds trust, and trust builds movements.
Throughout the performance, layered symbols carried deeper meaning. From the sapo concho, a rare endangered amphibian native to Puerto Rico, to the Puerto Rican flag associated with independence movements, Bad Bunny wove in cultural touchstones throughout the performance. The recreation of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, the 16th-century fortress that has stood watch over San Juan for generations, anchored present-day conversations about identity and resilience in centuries of Puerto Rican history.
Symbolism allowed complex topics like colonialism, environmental preservation, and cultural resilience to be understood instantly. Nonprofits can apply this strategy by translating policy-heavy or systemic challenges into visual metaphors and human stories that stick. When people can see the issue, they can connect to it. The addition of a real wedding into the storytelling helped all of us relate, engage with the story, and understand its primary message: We are united by the deeply human capacity to love. We are all one.
By highlighting community figures and celebrating shared cultural pride, Bad Bunny positioned the crowd and viewers at home as part of the story. His message, “seguimos aquí,” meaning “we’re still here,” invited collective ownership. Nonprofits thrive when supporters see themselves as protagonists in the mission. How to best do this? Spotlight volunteers, donors, and community members as changemakers. Frame your work as a shared journey. When people recognize their role in the impact, engagement deepens, and loyalty grows.
The finale celebrated the Americas as a connected community of proud inclusion. The performance emphasized solidarity through collaborations with Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga, bridging generational and cultural divides. Nonprofits can learn from this approach: focus on shared values and collective possibility. Unity energizes. It expands your reach, strengthens partnerships, and inspires action grounded in hope.
So needed during a time of deep division, the halftime show was an inspiration. It gave us 13 minutes to feel like part of something bigger than ourselves and our own opinions. It helped us see through the eyes of others. For the general audience, the halftime show was gorgeous singing and dancing that made us all feel good. For storytellers, it was also a visible presentation of the best tricks of the trade.
